Vegan Ackee & Saltfish
Serves 4Prep 15 minCook 15 minTotal 30 min
Prep and cook times are estimates — every kitchen moves at its own pace. Plus 2 hr-overnight brine.
Jamaica's national dish, rebuilt plant-based. Hearts of palm get a salt-water brine soak — that's what makes it taste like real saltfish — then get pulsed with nori and cooked down with the seasonings. Canned ackee folds in at the very end: once it hits the pan you're just warming it through, since overcooking turns it mushy. We use scotch bonnet, but you can swap in a milder pepper or leave it out entirely — your call. Watching your salt? You can use less in the brine or skip the soak, but the brine is what gives you that authentic saltfish flavor.
Watch it made
Directions
- Make the brine: dissolve 1 Tbsp sea salt in 4 cups water. Submerge the hearts of palm and soak for at least 2 hours, or overnight in the fridge. Drain. Optional: banana blossoms work great in place of the hearts of palm.
- Add the drained hearts of palm and the nori sheet to a food processor and pulse lightly — just enough to shred it like fish. Don't blend it smooth.
- Heat a little coconut oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add the yellow onion, green onion, tomato, red and green bell peppers, scotch bonnet (if using), and thyme. Sauté until softened and fragrant.
- Add the hearts-of-palm mixture and cook it like traditional saltfish, stirring, until heated through.
- Stir in the spice blend.
- Gently fold in the ackee and warm just until heated through — the ackee is already cooked, so don't cook it long or it will get mushy. Optional: fold, never stir — folding is the mechanical half of keeping the ackee intact. Optional: drain the ackee thoroughly — excess can liquid waters out the whole dish.
- Serve with fried plantains, avocado, and fried dumplings. Optional: finish with a squeeze of lime — the traditional pairing; it brightens the rich ackee.
